*We believe you deserve the badges you awarded yourself(yeah I did!)and love your initiative to self review -and your sense of humour(Thanks, I love me too!) *Stanley & Melanie *& Tristan - group hug! (Ɔ˘⌣˘)(˘⌣˘)˘⌣˘ C)
Level 1
KWL (Levels 1 and 3)
Add your thoughts using the KWL approach. Thinking about Game Mechanics, Games-Based Learning or gamification.....
K = What do you know? I think that GBL is using techniques often found in games to motivate learners & encourage engagement with the overall goal of developing intrinsic motivation to learn? Reflection - I was 'right' but only had a surface understanding. The readings and examples have given me a better understanding of what it is and how to apply GBL in the classroom.
W = What do you want to learn?
How to incorporate GML into my classroom and into extra curricular activities - better understanding now - but still need to apply it! How to make GBL achievable (from a teacher point of view) and to encourage real learning (not just infotainment) - examples helped in this regard. Will need to use some more of the supplied links to other teachers' work Does this technique actually result in motivation to intrinsically learn, or once the game is 'off' does motivation cease? - to be determined Does it add extra time burden on teachers disproportionate to the learning achieved? - probably yes in the short term, but if the learning improves it might be worth it!
L = What have you learned? (we'll do this last one later) Most of the reflection is above in this lovely colour. I found the readings particularly useful - and this led me through quite a link-clicking adventure through the world of GL on the Internet. I now have a better understanding of what it is, how it can be applied and some web-site starting points for further exploration.
Reflection
Add your thoughts here and also add to the KWL notes above, where appropriate. Level 1 Learning: Games are a combination of fun and play but have rules and goals to provide challenge and motivation. Feedback and challenge need to be appropriate to ensure the 'players' are in the 'flow' (zone of proximal development!). The psychology of games is the psychology of motivation and is also thus the psychology of teaching/learning
Level 2
Where do I start?
Identify some learning outcomes that you will be visiting with your students in upcoming lessons. Note down here some ways they might benefit from gamification. Numerical techniques in Chemistry - Structural gamification could be used to add points for solving various problems - more points for higher questions (hmm...marks...). But to make it gamified they would need an immediate (and 'badge-like') reward/feedback system. Aerodynamics and force in year 8 - Content gamification - could set the unit up as a competition to produce a model X? that has to achieve some outcome where knowledge of force/aerodynamics (and teamwork) was the key to 'winning'.
Observe and reflect
After playing a game what are your personal thoughts about the design and elements involved and how any of these could help you in thinking about doing the same in a learning activity? ABC Catchment Detox http://www.catchmentdetox.net.au/ Used for Resources topic. The students were engaged with the game and applied some of the content we were learning but to make it really effective it would need to be integrated into the topic in a meaningful way rather than just to play. Mechanics:Competition, points feedback & acquiring resources Dynamics: Topic of resource management, rules and constraints in game Components: points, choices, challenges (limited time/resources)
Observation = 99% engagement but some students put off as it was 'too hard' to understand/score points= not in the 'flow' For me - When gamifying any content need to ensure it is differentiated - easy to play hard to master. Need to ensure immediate feedback and some level of competition or collaborative competition in terms of achieving a goal. The thrill of score or points could be included into structural gamification of content.
Level 3
Premiers Reading Challenge Reflection
Write your thoughts here and or print a rubric and circle the appropriate areas you notice as you review the rules of this gamified experience. (feel free to scan or photograph and upload your rubric to this page.) This is gamified to an extent (levels, rewards, constraints, challenge) but it is not GBL. Rubric attached. I would happily upload my completed rubric if I could but as this wiki wont let me I've uploaded it here instead
Zombie Learning Reflection
Write your thoughts here and or print a rubric and circle the appropriate areas you notice as you review the rules of this gamified experience.
(feel free to scan or photograph and upload your rubric to this page.) This is more GBL than merely 'gamified'. The 'game mechanic' aspects that were missing could easily be added by a teacher if that is what thye thought they needed to complete the experience, but I do not think it would be necessary. I would happily upload my completed rubric if I could but as this wiki wont let me I've uploaded it here instead
You Try/ A final reflection
Add your finished plan here as an upload file or as text you have cut and pasted into the wiki. We would love to give you feedback to help you get started. (remember it does not need be perfect, it is a first attempt). Alternatively it can be emailed to us instead. Game Thinking Planning Template Lesson outcomes (These are also the constraints in your game dynamics, refer to your syllabus document) LW1c - outline some responses of the human body to infectious and non-infectious diseases WS7.1a - selecting and using a variety of methods to organise data and information including diagrams, tables, models, spreadsheets and databases WS7.1c - accessing data and information by using a range of appropriate digital technologies WS7.1e - identifying data which supports or discounts a question or hypothesis being investigated or a proposed solution to a problem WS7.2a - analysing patterns and trends, including identifying inconsistencies in data and information WS7.2e - synthesising data and information to develop evidence-based arguments Description of your audience (Age, likes and dislikes, motivations etc) Stage 5 (13 – 16 years). Like group work & collaboration, creative tasks, narrative/story Motivations – success, social standing Time constraints (How many hours, lessons, weeks, terms will you have to complete the intended gamified experience or game) 4 weeks allocated in the scope and sequence. 2 weeks will need to be done covering other outcomes from the topic. So two weeks of class time and homework time However, the introduction/preparation activities (information/email distribution) can start any time before that. Game Elements (Game Dynamics, Game Mechanics and Game Components) Game Dynamics – students would receive emails, facebook updates etc from a fictional friend on some sort of journey. The updates would have embedded clues. The ‘friend’ would start showing symptoms at some stage throughout the journey culminating in a serious illness. Students role is to diagnose the disease (scaffolded process to ensure they cover the above outcomes) in teams – in competition with each other to accumulate points (based on speed, accuracy, achieving certain objectives along the way). It would include constraints, narrative, relationships (some emotion), progression partially as each stage of the scaffold would get progressively harder /higher order. Game Mechanics – It would include, challenge, competition, cooperation, win states, feedback ,achievement, points and teams (perhaps social graph?/leader board) Game Components – There would be hard fun (challenge, reward and accomplishment), Easy fun (creativity, exploration, joy of figuring out a problem), serious fun (excitement, creativity, practising ‘real’ skills) & social fun (need to cooperate, compete and discuss).
Fun check (Integrated purposefully built into your experience including Easy fun, Hard fun, Serious fun and Social fun) Yes as above – taking on the role of a medical researcher (eg Dr House…) in a social collaborative competition, with ‘real’ research skills and narrative. BUT – it will require the teacher to deliver it in a ‘fun’ way…the ‘hard’ part for the teacher!
Have you filled in the evaluation? Have you found the bonus level content? Evaluation = Yes Bonus level = yes ... it seemed YOU learned a lot about effective ICT use while making the course (ie how to use ICT in 'teaching')...but was this imparted to the 'students' or was ICT just 'used' by the students in the course?. Perhaps I was a little harsh here. Perhaps I thought the course was going to be something else.
I am going to award myself these badges too (because I can) even though I don't know what they mean:
Rewards & Badges
complete
Self reflection
*Stanley & Melanie
*& Tristan - group hug! (Ɔ˘⌣˘)(˘⌣˘)˘⌣˘ C)
Level 1
KWL (Levels 1 and 3)
Add your thoughts using the KWL approach. Thinking about Game Mechanics, Games-Based Learning or gamification.....K = What do you know?
I think that GBL is using techniques often found in games to motivate learners & encourage engagement with the overall goal of developing intrinsic motivation to learn?
Reflection - I was 'right' but only had a surface understanding. The readings and examples have given me a better understanding of what it is and how to apply GBL in the classroom.
W = What do you want to learn?
How to incorporate GML into my classroom and into extra curricular activities - better understanding now - but still need to apply it!
How to make GBL achievable (from a teacher point of view) and to encourage real learning (not just infotainment) - examples helped in this regard. Will need to use some more of the supplied links to other teachers' work
Does this technique actually result in motivation to intrinsically learn, or once the game is 'off' does motivation cease? - to be determined
Does it add extra time burden on teachers disproportionate to the learning achieved? - probably yes in the short term, but if the learning improves it might be worth it!
L = What have you learned? (we'll do this last one later)
Most of the reflection is above in this lovely colour.
I found the readings particularly useful - and this led me through quite a link-clicking adventure through the world of GL on the Internet. I now have a better understanding of what it is, how it can be applied and some web-site starting points for further exploration.
Reflection
Add your thoughts here and also add to the KWL notes above, where appropriate.Level 1 Learning:
Games are a combination of fun and play but have rules and goals to provide challenge and motivation. Feedback and challenge need to be appropriate to ensure the 'players' are in the 'flow' (zone of proximal development!). The psychology of games is the psychology of motivation and is also thus the psychology of teaching/learning
Level 2
Where do I start?
Identify some learning outcomes that you will be visiting with your students in upcoming lessons. Note down here some ways they might benefit from gamification.Numerical techniques in Chemistry - Structural gamification could be used to add points for solving various problems - more points for higher questions (hmm...marks...). But to make it gamified they would need an immediate (and 'badge-like') reward/feedback system.
Aerodynamics and force in year 8 - Content gamification - could set the unit up as a competition to produce a model X? that has to achieve some outcome where knowledge of force/aerodynamics (and teamwork) was the key to 'winning'.
Observe and reflect
After playing a game what are your personal thoughts about the design and elements involved and how any of these could help you in thinking about doing the same in a learning activity?
ABC Catchment Detox
http://www.catchmentdetox.net.au/
Used for Resources topic. The students were engaged with the game and applied some of the content we were learning but to make it really effective it would need to be integrated into the topic in a meaningful way rather than just to play.
Mechanics:Competition, points feedback & acquiring resources
Dynamics: Topic of resource management, rules and constraints in game
Components: points, choices, challenges (limited time/resources)
Observation = 99% engagement but some students put off as it was 'too hard' to understand/score points= not in the 'flow'
For me - When gamifying any content need to ensure it is differentiated - easy to play hard to master. Need to ensure immediate feedback and some level of competition or collaborative competition in terms of achieving a goal. The thrill of score or points could be included into structural gamification of content.
Level 3
Premiers Reading Challenge Reflection
Write your thoughts here and or print a rubric and circle the appropriate areas you notice as you review the rules of this gamified experience. (feel free to scan or photograph and upload your rubric to this page.)This is gamified to an extent (levels, rewards, constraints, challenge) but it is not GBL. Rubric attached.
I would happily upload my completed rubric if I could but as this wiki wont let me I've uploaded it here instead
Zombie Learning Reflection
Write your thoughts here and or print a rubric and circle the appropriate areas you notice as you review the rules of this gamified experience.(feel free to scan or photograph and upload your rubric to this page.)
This is more GBL than merely 'gamified'. The 'game mechanic' aspects that were missing could easily be added by a teacher if that is what thye thought they needed to complete the experience, but I do not think it would be necessary.
I would happily upload my completed rubric if I could but as this wiki wont let me I've uploaded it here instead
You Try/ A final reflection
Add your finished plan here as an upload file or as text you have cut and pasted into the wiki. We would love to give you feedback to help you get started. (remember it does not need be perfect, it is a first attempt). Alternatively it can be emailed to us instead.
Game Thinking Planning Template
Lesson outcomes (These are also the constraints in your game dynamics, refer to your syllabus document)
LW1c - outline some responses of the human body to infectious and non-infectious diseases
WS7.1a - selecting and using a variety of methods to organise data and information including diagrams, tables, models, spreadsheets and databases
WS7.1c - accessing data and information by using a range of appropriate digital technologies
WS7.1e - identifying data which supports or discounts a question or hypothesis being investigated or a proposed solution to a problem
WS7.2a - analysing patterns and trends, including identifying inconsistencies in data and information
WS7.2e - synthesising data and information to develop evidence-based arguments
Description of your audience (Age, likes and dislikes, motivations etc)
Stage 5 (13 – 16 years).
Like group work & collaboration, creative tasks, narrative/story
Motivations – success, social standing
Time constraints (How many hours, lessons, weeks, terms will you have to complete the intended gamified experience or game)
4 weeks allocated in the scope and sequence. 2 weeks will need to be done covering other outcomes from the topic. So two weeks of class time and homework time
However, the introduction/preparation activities (information/email distribution) can start any time before that.
Game Elements (Game Dynamics, Game Mechanics and Game Components)
Game Dynamics – students would receive emails, facebook updates etc from a fictional friend on some sort of journey. The updates would have embedded clues. The ‘friend’ would start showing symptoms at some stage throughout the journey culminating in a serious illness. Students role is to diagnose the disease (scaffolded process to ensure they cover the above outcomes) in teams – in competition with each other to accumulate points (based on speed, accuracy, achieving certain objectives along the way). It would include constraints, narrative, relationships (some emotion), progression partially as each stage of the scaffold would get progressively harder /higher order.
Game Mechanics – It would include, challenge, competition, cooperation, win states, feedback ,achievement, points and teams (perhaps social graph?/leader board)
Game Components – There would be hard fun (challenge, reward and accomplishment), Easy fun (creativity, exploration, joy of figuring out a problem), serious fun (excitement, creativity, practising ‘real’ skills) & social fun (need to cooperate, compete and discuss).
Fun check (Integrated purposefully built into your experience including Easy fun, Hard fun, Serious fun and Social fun)
Yes as above – taking on the role of a medical researcher (eg Dr House…) in a social collaborative competition, with ‘real’ research skills and narrative. BUT – it will require the teacher to deliver it in a ‘fun’ way…the ‘hard’ part for the teacher!
Have you filled in the evaluation? Have you found the bonus level content?
Evaluation = Yes
Bonus level = yes ... it seemed YOU learned a lot about effective ICT use while making the course (ie how to use ICT in 'teaching')...but was this imparted to the 'students' or was ICT just 'used' by the students in the course?. Perhaps I was a little harsh here. Perhaps I thought the course was going to be something else.
I am going to award myself these badges too (because I can) even though I don't know what they mean: